The Way You Looked at Me
by Liisa
Summary: Hermione and Harry are, once again, thinking about each other....HHr
1. Hermione's POV

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"Was I a fool to think

The way you looked at me…

I swear you did

But you looked away too quick." 

-"Was I a Fool?", Dave Matthew Band

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For the life of her, she could not figure him out.

Hermione glanced around the common room once more, her eyes just momentarily resting in the form of a tall, black-haired, green-eyed boy who sat a little ways away, chatting animatedly with his friends.

Boy? She shook the thought out of her head. If there was anything Harry deserved, it was to be known as a man. His defeat of Voldemort last year had at least given him that much. He was also graduating next week at the top of the class. Hermione smirked to herself at that thought. For once she had gotten to torment him about working too hard. Everyone had been so surprised when Harry had not only made head boy, but also got accepted into the Auror training. Hermione, however, wasn't surprised the least bit. She knew how much Harry wanted to be an Auror. 

She allowed her eyes to drop back down to her book, trying to keep the blush off her cheeks. If someone found her staring at Harry again, she knew she wouldn't have an excuse this time.

Hermione Granger was falling for him. She was falling for The Boy-Who-Lived. She was falling for Harry Potter.

She hated it when she admitted that to herself. She had even admitted it to Crookshanks the other day, but she doubted her understood what she was saying. People were talking though. She hadn't been keeping up with her studies as diligently as she usually did. Even Harry had asked is she was alright…

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"Of course I'm alright!" she snapped back at him. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Whoa, calm down Hermione, it was just a simple question!" 

"Well next time keep your questions to yourself!" She snapped an about face and stormed away from him, fuming at his arrogance…

Arrogance? No, Hermione thought. He was just being himself again. He was just being his nice, perfect, wonderful, caring, compassionate self. And she had blown him off.

She looked back up toward him as she heard his laugh through the room. Ron had obviously just lost at Exploding Snap. His eyebrows were smoking and Harry and Dean were having a good time laughing with him.

"Hermione?"

She jerked her head around quickly, the blush rushing to her face. Lavender raised an eyebrow towards her. 

"Harry-watching again?" Lavender smirked and dropped down on the armrest of Hermione's chair.

"No," Hermione said quickly, digging her eyes back into her book.

She turned even redder as Lavender laughed aloud.

"Quit it, will you?" Hermione shot a hurtful look towards her friend and spared a glance around the room, hoping that no one else had heard.

"When will you admit it, girl?"

"Admit what?"

"There you go again, Hermione! You've got to stop denying it!"

"I don't know what you're talking about…" Hermione waved her away with one hand, forcing Lavender to stand.

"Well I'll tell you one thing, Hermione Granger. Harry sure isn't denying it." 

Hermione's eyes flashed and she looked up to question Lavender's statement. But when she looked up, Lavender was already climbing out the portrait hole.

Hermione stared after her for a moment, trying to comprehend what she had said.

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Harry isn't denying it…

She slowly turned around to look one last time at Harry and his companions. She stopped short as she saw Harry's green eyes connect with hers. She firmly held his gaze as she felt her heart speed up. She saw a flash of something cross his face, and his expression changed. But as soon as it had come, it was gone. He blinked once before flashing her a smile, and turning away again.

Hermione's gaze didn't drop till a moment later, but her mind and her heart were still moving fast.

She smiled to herself. Maybe it didn't mean what she thought, but the fact that he had smiled at her was enough for now.


	2. Harry's POV

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It's hard to say what it is I see in you 

  
Wonder if I'll always be with you 

  
But words can't say and I can't do 

  
Enough to prove, it's all for you 

-Sister Hazel, "All For You"

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If there were few things in this word that Harry Potter was afraid of, Hermione Granger was at the top of the list.

Oh it wasn't that he was necessarily scared of her, he was more scared of…well, shall we say, being _rejected_ by her. Harry cringed at the thought of Hermione slapping him across the face. It probably would hurt.

"Harry? Your turn mate." Harry snapped his head up at Ron's voice, trying to focus his eyes on their Exploding Snap game again.

Ron's smug face came into focus and Harry could tell what he was thinking.

"Bloody, Harry. I knew you had it bad, but if she can keep your thoughts away from a Exploding Snap game…" Ron smirked again, "she's got you wrapped around her finger, mate."

Harry rolled his eyes in exasperation and played his turn, signaling to Dean that it was his turn. "Well it's not like you've never been in my position, Ron," Harry argued. "You practically threw yourself at her for our first five years of Hogwarts." 

Ron's cheeks turned their familiar bright red and Harry and Dean laughed as he fumbled for his cards. Not watching what he was doing, the pile exploded in his face, leaving his eyebrows singed. Harry and Dean laughed louder and for a moment, Hermione was driven out of Harry's mind.

But only for a moment.

His head turned slightly to the side as he heard Lavender's laugh echo through the common room. As soon as he saw Hermione sitting there with her, his heart jumped and he quickly turned back around. Ron and Dean were both staring at him.

Harry heaved a sigh. "It's bad isn't it…?"

Ron and Dean both nodded. "Well, I'll tell you one thing, Harry. At least you have the satisfaction of knowing who you like, and you told us. Good strategy there."

Harry raised one eyebrow at him, unsure of what he was trying to say.

Ron continued. "Ginny told me that Hermione's been pining after some guy for weeks now and that's the reason she hasn't been doing well on her studies. She's in love too."

Harry felt a flash of annoyance. "Great time to tell me that Ron. You think I want to know that Hermione's in love with Draco Malfoy or something?"

Ron and Dean faked a disgusted face and Harry smiled at their playfulness.

"The point is, Harry," Dean explained, "that Hermione hasn't told anyone who she likes…but almost everyone in the school knows you like her, but Hermione!"

"Besides, what's so fascinating about her?" Ron asked, motioning over to where Lavender and Hermione were sitting.

Harry turned to look as well, just in time to see Lavender get up and leave. Hermione was now alone and Harry saw that she was thinking hard about something. Before he knew it, Hermione's eyes came up and locked with his. He slammed down his emotions and firmly held her gaze.

But he couldn't help noticing the curve of her lips…. The way the firelight reflected off her hair…. Those big, brown, beautiful eyes that held him captive.

He was sure that his defenses broke for a moment. And for just a moment, every bit of love and desire was screaming at her through his eyes. But he held it back so quick that he was certain she didn't notice. 

He managed a smile, as sweet and simple as he could make it, and then turned away.

"You getting all mushy on us, mate?" Ron asked.

"You guys wouldn't believe me if I told you. Besides, it's not like you've ever been in love," Harry argued, waving them off with one hand and starting to shuffle the cards again.

"Let me guess then," Ron said, interrupting his thoughts. "One of those things you can't put into words?"

Harry debated briefly in his head if he should answer that, but as it was his best friend, he did anyway.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that…"

His voice trailed off as Ron and Dean laughed out loud, causing Harry to frown and blush several shades of red.

Taking a chance, he slightly turned his head again to look at Hermione.

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Oh what I go through just for you, Hermione… All for you…


End file.
